Ankara Denies Erdoğan Threatened to Invade Israel
By Bosphorus News Staff
Türkiye's Centre for Combating Disinformation (DMM), operating under the Directorate of Communications, issued a formal denial on Sunday, rejecting as groundless claims that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had threatened to invade Israel.
The denial targeted content circulating across multiple social media platforms and in certain media outlets. The centre said the posts attributed statements to Erdogan that he did not make.
In a statement published on the centre's official social media account, officials said: "Claims appearing in some media outlets and social media posts, attributed to our President, that 'Türkiye has threatened to invade Israel,' are completely unfounded. The claims in these posts do not correspond to reality and are statements aimed at harming regional stability."
The statement did not identify the specific platforms, accounts or outlets responsible for spreading the claims, nor did it describe the original posts in detail. It also did not specify when the false content first appeared or how widely it circulated.
The centre used the denial to restate Türkiye's broader foreign policy posture. "Under the leadership of our President, Türkiye prioritises the peace, security and prosperity of the peoples of the region without distinction," the statement read. "Manipulative content that attempts to distort our country's struggle and humanitarian stance should not be given credence."
Officials also asserted that Türkiye consistently channels regional disputes through diplomatic means and international law, and positions itself as a force for de-escalation. "Our country will continue to be the voice of justice, peace and common sense in its region, as it has always been," the statement said.
The denial comes against a backdrop of sustained tension between Ankara and Tel Aviv. Türkiye severed trade ties with Israel in May 2024 over the conduct of military operations in Gaza and has repeatedly called for a permanent ceasefire. Erdogan has made pointed public criticisms of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on multiple occasions, drawing sharp responses from Israeli officials.
Türkiye's disinformation centre has increasingly been used to push back against viral content that Ankara regards as harmful to its international image or to regional stability. Critics of the body argue it is also deployed to suppress domestic dissent, though the centre describes its mandate as countering foreign origin information manipulation. Sunday's statement made no reference to any legal action or formal complaint connected to the disputed posts.